Ash container tray top attachment



July 14, 1959 C. K. BERGAN ASH CONTAINER TRAY TOP ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 7. 1956 INVENTOR CHRISTIAN KBERGAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,894,655 ASH CONTAINER TRAY TOP ATTACHMENT Christian K. Bergan, Chicago, 111., assignor to Gustave Miller, Washington, DC.

Application December 7, 1956, Serial No. 626,871 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-1) This invention relates to an ash container tray top attachment particularly adapted for use in combination with empty vegetable, fruit or coffee sheet metal cans, conventionally known as tin cans, wherein the cans have been emptied of their normal contents and wherein the cans have a cylindrical side wall closed at the lower end and completely open at the top end, either by having the cap removed as in the case of a conventional coffee can, or by having the top out neatly away by a can opener, such as commonly used in opening fruit or vegetable cans, or by having the top cut away in the case of a juice or liquid containing can which is usually opened by punching holes through the top. In the latter case, the punched top must be neatly cut away with a conventional circular blade can opener for providing a completely open top end to the can.

Such cans are used in the millions, and are available without limit and without cost in the average home, tavern, or restaurant for use in cooperation with the ash container tray top attachment of this invention.

A further object of this invention is to provide an ash tray top attachment which may be used for temporarily converting a completely open sheet metal can into a temporary ash and cigarette receiver, and wherein the attachment may be readily removed from the substantially filled can, permitting the substantially filled can to be discarded with its contents and the attachment to be readily attached to another similar can.

In brief, the ash container tray top attachment of this invention consists of a substantially or somewhat horizontal annular tray having a scalloped or undulating surface acting as a cigar or cigarette retainer, an annular tapered flange depending from the inner edge of the annular tray and provided with a tapered surface having an outward frictional surface for temporarily securing it against the upper inner edge of the cylindrical wall surface of the can, and a floor extending across the bottom of the annular flange and provided with a pivoted top door, somewhat concave, whereby ashes and cigarette or cigar butts may drop theretbrough into the container, thus automatically snufiing the cigarette or cigar butt if still lighted.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, as will hereinafter become apparent, this invention comprises the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, and disclosed, and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ash tray attachment of this invention in position on a sheet metal can.

Fig. 2 is a top panel view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the top door, on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, disclosing the trap door pivots.

There is shown at the ash container tray top attachment of this invention adapted for use on top of a sheet metal or tin can 11. The sheet metal can 11 as here shown has a completely closed lower end 12 and 2,894,655 Patented July 14, 1959 a cylindrical side wall 13 having a completely open top edge 14.

This sheet metal or tin can 11 is a fruit, vegetable, food, or colfee can of the type used in millions and normally discarded after the contents have been removed by removing the cap or top. This can 11 comes in several conventional sizes, and the attachment 10 of this invention may be made in several sizes, each size being appropriate to the particular size of can 11 for which it is intended. Obviously, it may be made of a size to fit any existing size sheet metal or tin can. Cofiee cans, for instance, are ready for use when the conventional cap is discarded. Empty fruit or vegetable cans that have been opened by a conventional can opener having a rotating blade are ready for use immediately that the contents thereof have been emptied. Juice or liquid containing cans, normally opened by punching one or more holes through the top thereof, may be adapted for this use by merely removing the punched top of the can by the conventional circular bladed can opener.

The ash tray attachment 10 of this invention consists of an annular cigarette holding tray 15 from the interior edge of which there is a depending flange 16 through which is secured a horizontal floor 17 having a central circular aperture 18 therein. A pair of apertured cars 20 depend from the floor 17 on two opposite sides of the aperture 18 and provide journals or bearings for fingers 21 extending from correspondingly opposite sides of a dished or concave trap door 22.

The depending flange 16 tapers inwardly at a slight angle from the interior edge of the tray 15 toward the supported floor 17, as will be apparent from Fig. 3, and protruding from the outer surface of the tapered flange 16 are a plurality of sharpened projections 23.

The annular tray 15 is provided with an undulating or scalloped surface providing a plurality of cigarette or cigar retainers 24 within which may be rested or balanced a cigar or cigarette 25 with its lighted or ash carrying end 26 extending over the floor 17 or the trap door 22, depending on the size of the floor as well as the size of the cigar or cigarette butt.

In operation, the ash tray top attachment has the diameter of the tapered flange 16 so related to the internal diameter of the cylindrical side wall 13 of the sheet metal can 11 that it may fit easily into the open top 14 of the can 11 at the lower end of the tapered flange 16 and fit rather snugly at the upper end of the tapered flange 16 adjacent where it joins the tray 15. The protruding sharpened projections 23 serve to provide an increased frictional holding between the tapered flange and the inner surface of the cylindrical side walls 13, and thus secures the attachment in position against accidental removal, yet when the can 11 has been filled 'up with ashes, discarded cigarettes, or cigar butts, it may be readily removed therefrom by firmly grasping the can and the tray in a twisting separating motion.

As shown, in Fig. l, the cigarette 25 may be rested in any one of the cigarette retainers 24 and any ashes dropping off the lighted end 26 will drop onto either the floor 17 or the trap door 22. When the cigarette is to be discarded, it may be pressed downwardly on one edge of the trap door 22 as shown in Fig. 3, thereby tilting the trap door 22 about its pivoting fingers 21 journalled in the ears 20, and it will then drop onto the lower end 12 of the can 11. When the can is somewhat filled, the attachment is removed as above described and the can contents discarded and the attachment is mounted on another similar can.

Although this invention has been described in con siderable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, What is claimed is:

An ash tray attachment for use with a sheet metal can having a closed lower one and a cylindrical side Wall terminating in a completely open top end, said ash tray attachment comprising a tray, a downwardly depending slightly tapered side Wall, frusto-conical in shape, having a plurality of struck-out grater-like projections spaced l0 vertically and circumferentially thereabout, a bottom Wall on said tray extending from said frustoc0nical side Wall, having a central flap valve and ash disposing opening therein, whereby said tray is adapted to be forcibly in- 4'! serted and stably yet removably retained in an open top cylindrical Walled can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 121.938 Sherman Aug. 13, 1940 D. 126,200 Eisenberg Apr. 1, 1941 1,800,665 Schultz Apr. 14, 1931 2,158,770 Bartlett May 16, 1939 2,477,534 Wiegand July 26, 1949 2,714,464 Cline Aug. 2, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 206,785 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1939 

